The Centre has informed Parliament that the National Disaster Management Authority has started an initiative to establish early warning systems to strengthen the mechanism for resilience through local-level interventions in case glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) occurs.
Jitendra Singh, the minister of state (independent charge), ministry of science and technology and earth science, in a written reply to Sikkim Lok Sabha MP Indra Hang Subba, stated that “phase 1 of the National Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) Risk Mitigation Programme (NGRMP) has been initiated by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)”.
The first phase of the project is being implemented in Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
“NGRMP has a provision to establish many Early Warning Systems... for strengthening the mechanism to enhance GLOF resilience through local-level intervention,” the minister stated.
In October 2023, a GLOF triggered from South Lhonak lake in Sikkim swept away a hydel project, impacting a stretch up to 385km from the source. The disaster left 55 people dead and 70 missing.
The event triggered around 45 landslides in the region which continues to affect Sikkim’s road infrastructure .
Minister Singh stated that two lakes in Sikkim were being monitored.
“Two glacial lakes (South Lhonak and Shako Cho) have been monitored in real time in Sikkim,” the minister’s reply stated.
Last year the Sikkim government had conducted a basic survey of 320 glacial lakes in the state and had classified 16 lakes as vulnerable to GLOF, including South Lhonak.
The Centre stated that as of now more than 20 national institutions are conducting research on Himalayan glaciers, including the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, the Geological Survey of India, the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology and the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing.
The minister stated that Himalayan glaciers were being monitored by various institutions.
“The ministry of earth science through its autonomous institute, the National Centre of Polar and Ocean Research, has been monitoring Himalayan glaciers under the Cryosphere and Climate program,” the minister stated.
The Centre stated that the mean retreat rate of Hindu Kush Himalayan glaciers varied between 14.9 to 15.1 metres per year.